Stalk conditioner for a header of an agricultural combine

Abstract

A header for a combine harvester, the header including a frame mountable to a forward end of the combine harvester, at least one row unit mounted to the frame to receive and process stalks of corn, a stomping shoe mounted to the frame behind the row unit to flatten stalks of corn, and a stalk splitter mounted to frame behind the row unit to split stalks of corn. The face of the stomping shoe is provided with a plurality of structures to guide each stalk of corn along a predefined path on the face while the stalks of corn are flattened. The stalk splitter includes a disk blade biased against the ground for splitting stalks of corn after they are processed by row units of the corn header.

We claim: 
     
       1. A header for a combine harvester comprising:
 a frame configured to mount to a forward end of the combine harvester; 
 at least one row unit mounted to the frame and configured to receive and process crop stalks; 
 a stomping shoe mounted to the frame behind the row unit, the stomping shoe configured to flatten the stalks; and 
 a stalk splitter mounted to the frame behind the row unit, the stalk splitter including:
 a support structure mounted to the frame, the support structure having:
 a mounting bar mounted to the frame, 
 a holding arm pivotably mounted to the mounting bar and connected to a disk blade, and 
 a mounting arm assembly pivotably mounted to the mounting bar and connected to the holding arm, the mounting arm assembly having a biasing member adjacent a lateral side of the disk blade biasing the disk blade. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The header of  claim 1 , wherein the stalk splitter is mounted to the frame behind the stomping shoe. 
     
     
       3. The header of  claim 1 , wherein the stomping shoe includes an elongated concavity extending along a central longitudinal centerline of the stomping shoe for guiding the stalk along a predefined path defined by the elongated concavity. 
     
     
       4. The header of  claim 1 , wherein the stomping shoe includes a face for flattening the stalks, the face including a plurality of structures configured to guide each stalk along a predefined path on the face. 
     
     
       5. The header of  claim 4 , wherein the predefined path extends along a longitudinal centerline of the face. 
     
     
       6. The header of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of structures include at least one of ridges, recesses, fins, welded beads and welded key stock. 
     
     
       7. The header of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of structures include two opposed rows of chevron-shaped ridges arranged on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline of the face. 
     
     
       8. The header of  claim 4 , wherein the face of the stomping shoe further includes a plastic cover, and the plurality of structures are disposed on the plastic cover. 
     
     
       9. The header of  claim 1 , wherein the disk blade is biased along a predefined direction with respect to the frame. 
     
     
       10. The header of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting arm assembly includes:
 a first plate rigidly connected to the mounting bar, and 
 a second plate rigidly connected to the holding arm and movable relative to the first plate, and 
 wherein the biasing member biases the mounting arm assembly. 
 
     
     
       11. A header for use with a combine harvester comprising:
 a frame configured to mount to a forward end of the combine harvester; 
 at least one row unit mounted to the frame and configured to receive crop stalks; and 
 a stomping shoe mounted to the frame behind the row unit and configured to flatten a stalk after the stalk is received by the row unit and including an elongated concavity extending along a central longitudinal centerline of the stomping shoe for guiding the stalk along a predefined path defined by the elongated concavity, the stomping shoe including a face having a plurality of structures disposed thereon, wherein each of the plurality of structures is configured to guide the stalk along the predefined path on the face while the stalk is being flattened. 
 
     
     
       12. The header of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of structures include at least one of ridges, recesses, fins, welded beads, and welded key stock. 
     
     
       13. The header of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of structures include two opposed rows of chevron-shaped ridges arranged on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline of the face. 
     
     
       14. A header for use with a combine harvester comprising:
 a frame configured to mount to a forward end of the combine harvester; 
 at least one row unit mounted to the frame and configured to receive a stalk; and 
 a splitting mechanism mounted to the frame behind the row unit, the splitting mechanism including:
 a support structure mounted to the frame, the support structure having:
 a mounting bar mounted to the frame, 
 a holding arm pivotably mounted to the mounting bar and connected to a disk blade, and 
 a mounting arm assembly pivotably mounted to the mounting bar and connected to the holding arm, the mounting arm assembly having:
 a first plate rigidly connected to the mounting bar, and 
 a second plate rigidly connected to the holding arm and movable relative to the first plate, and 
 
 
 a biasing member biasing the mounting arm assembly. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The header of  claim 14 , further comprising a looped chain mounted to the frame and extending behind the splitting mechanism, the looped chain configured to knock over the stalk after the splitting mechanism slices the stalk along its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       16. The header of  claim 14 , wherein the splitting mechanism further includes a drive mechanism for rotating the disk blade. 
     
     
       17. The header of  claim 14 , wherein the biasing member biases against the first plate. 
     
     
       18. The header of  claim 14 , wherein the first plate is between the second plate and biasing member. 
     
     
       19. The header of  claim 14 , wherein the biasing member biases the second plate towards the first plate.